Video made during sting op to disturb peace, says GSVM principal who made derogatory comments

Kanpur -  The principal of GSVM Medical College Dr Arti Dave Lalchandani, who is in the midst of a controversy over her alleged comments against the Tablighi Jamaat, has complained to the police saying the video was made viral with the intention of spreading hatred and disturbing peace in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and that she is being blackmailed for extortion regarding the same.

In her written complaint on Thursday, she has also claimed that several persons, some of them abroad, were getting calls from a number registered in her name by a caller who identifies herself as Dr Arti Lalchandani and uses abusive language.

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Those who searched for the call details through mobile application truecaller found that the number was registered in the name of Dr Arti Lalchandani, a cardiologist, her complaint stated.

The doctor has complained that the video was made through a sting operation by pressurisation, superimposition, provocation and by deliberately contorting her statements.

"The video was made viral with the evil intention to spread hatred and disturb the peace," she has said in her written complaint that demands that the guilty be dealt with strictly.

Taking serious note of the complaint, Deputy IG (Kanpur) Anant Deo Tiwari has handed over the probe to Superintendent of Police (Crime) Rajesh Yadav and asked him to get the matter investigated by the cyber cell of the Crime Branch.

Talking to PTI, SP crime Rajesh Yadav, confirmed that he has been asked to probe the matter and submit the findings at the earliest.

He said the doctor claims that the video which had gone viral is fake and that she is being blackmailed for extortion. She has further alleged that the viral video was captured during a sting operation.

Yadav said the matter is being investigated and action will be taken in accordance with the facts that emerge during the probe.

Last week, Dr Lalchandani had landed in trouble after a video clip of her interaction with some people who appeared to be journalists went viral. In the video she is heard making discriminatory remarks against a particular community and accusing UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for indulging in "appeasement" politics by providing government healthcare facilities to that community''s members.

She initially claimed that the clip had been tampered with but had on Tuesday apologised for hurting the sentiments of the community members, whom she described as her brothers and sisters.

Talking to PTI on Friday, she again claimed that the video was the result of a sting operation.

"We worked for two days straight under a lot of pressure. This was done by a sting operation, by pressurisation, superimposition, by provocation and by deliberately contorting my statements," Lalchandani said.

It is not clear when the five-minute video was recorded. The doctor is heard telling her audience, possibly journalists, not to leak her remarks.

"These people are terrorists and we are giving VIP treatment to them by providing food and water. We are exhausting our resources and manpower on them. We are paying hotel bills and are wasting our kits, food, medicines on them," the doctor is heard saying in the clip.

Lalchandani is also heard in the video saying that she plans to speak to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, whom she described as an alumnus of the college.

"Here, no one will listen. The district magistrate is doing things as per the orders of the UP CM," she says.

Referring to Tablighi Jamaat members, she says, "Admitting them to hospitals is appeasement. Those who should be thrown into jails are being admitted to hospitals. They should be thrashed in jail and put in solitary confinement instead of being kept in isolation wards. UP CM should issue an order that no resources should be spent on the Jamaatis.

"I asked the CMO to send these patients to some jungle and they should be locked in a ''kaal kothri'' (dungeon), but my voice was suppressed. The appeasement of these 30 crore people is being done at the cost of 100 crore people, she says in the video, apparently referring to the entire Muslim community."

Meanwhile, the District Magistrate Dr Brahm Deo Tiwari said he has submitted a report to the Principal Secretary, medical education, on Wednesday about the five minute video. He, however, did not divulge any details of the report.

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